A semiconductor storage unit to be disclosed includes a bank block (231) having banks (251) and (252) with memory cell arrays (311) and (312), global i/O lines (261) and (262), i/O amplifier (281) and (282) and column decoder groups (351) and (352); and a bank selective circuit (291) provided in common with the bank blocks (251) and (252) that produces a column select signal YS0 or YS1 for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of bank select signals BS0 to BS2 and /BS0 to /BS2 and a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 for activating the corresponding i/O amplifier (281) or (282). Thereby, it is possible to reduce the number of wiring lines in a semiconductor storage unit with a plurality of banks and to normally perform a test such as fault analysis or the like.
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1. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to an arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory cell array configuring said plurality of banks, or data to be written in any individual one of the plurality of memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual ones of the plurality of global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding ones of the plurality of global i/O lines, or data to be conveyed from an individual global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said plurality of banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting selected ones of a plurality of bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any one of the plurality of banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of at least one multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any individual one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating at least a corresponding one of the plurality of i/O amplifiers.
24. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, further comprising: an initialization circuit, provided corresponding to said global i/O lines, for short-circuiting and initializing the corresponding global i/O line on the basis of said column decoder activating signal at the time of switchover from the readout of data from a certain bank to the readout of data from another bank in a continuous readout case of data from a plurality of banks configuring one and the same bank block.
21. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array confiding said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and a bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal.
26. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an po amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said column decoder activation signal, further comprising: an initialization circuit, provided corresponding to said global i/O line for short-circuiting and initializing the corresponding global i/O line on the basis of said column decoder activation signal at the time of switchover from the readout of data from a certain bank to the readout of data from another bank in a continuous readout case of data from a plurality of banks configuring one and the same block.
25. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said i/O amplifier activation signal, further comprising: an initialization circuit, provided corresponding to said global i/O lines for short-circuiting and initializing the corresponding global i/O line on the basis of said column decoder activating signal at the time of switchover from the readout of data from a certain bank to the readout of data from another bank in a continuous readout case of data from a plurality of banks configuring one and the same bank block.
23. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks confiding said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said column decoder activation signal, wherein said bank selective circuits make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and said bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create at least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal.
22. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said po amplifier activation signal, wherein said bank selective circuits make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and said bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create at least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal.
18. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits comprises a test circuit that makes a logical product of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with a bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create at least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal and make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of said test signal with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and the signal making a logical product of the inverted signal of said test signal with said column decoder activation signal to create a second column decoder activation signal for each bank.
19. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said i/O amplifier activation signal, wherein said bank selective circuits comprises a test circuit that make a logical sum of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with said bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create at least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal and make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of said test signal with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and the signal making a logical product of the inverted signal of said test signal with said column decoder activation signal to create a second column decoder activation signal for each bank.
20. A semiconductor storage unit comprising:
a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks that are adjacent to each other and have a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, a plurality of global i/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of said banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in the memory array configuring said banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of i/O amplifiers connected to individual global i/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global i/O lines or data to be conveyed from one global i/O line to a corresponding global i/O line, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common with said banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuits, provided in common with banks configuring the corresponding bank block for each of said bank blocks which create a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder on the basis of multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring said bank blocks and an i/O amplifier activation signal for activating a corresponding i/O amplifier, wherein said bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block created from said multi-bit bank address signal and creates said column decoder activation signal, wherein said bank selective circuits comprises a test circuit that make a logical sum of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with said bank selection signal or a bank block selection signal to create at least one of said i/O amplifier activation signal or said column decoder activation signal and make a logical claim between the respective signals making a logical product of said test signal with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank blocks of a multi-bit column address signal and the signal making a logical product of the inverted signal of said test signal with said column decoder activation signal to create a second column decoder activation signal for each bank.
2. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
3. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
4. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
5. The semiconductor storage unit asset forth in
6. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
7. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
8. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
9. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
in place of said column decoder activating signal and said i/O amplifier activation signal, said bank selective circuits output the respective signals making logical sums of the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of multi-bit column address signals with said column decoder activating signal and said i/O amplifier activation signal.
10. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
11. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
12. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
13. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
14. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
in place of said column decoder activating signal and said i/O amplifier activation signal, said bank selective circuits output the respective signals making logical sums of the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of multi-bit column address signals with said column decoder activating signal and said i/O amplifier activation signal.
15. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
16. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
17. The semiconductor storage unit as set forth in
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor storage unit and in particular to a semiconductor storage unit with a plurality of banks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 33 shows one example of electric configuration of the conventional semiconductor storage unit disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-305505, where (a) and (b) are a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part and a circuit diagram showing a configurational example of a circuit provided inside the block diagram shown in FIG. 33(a), respectively.
As shown in FIG. 33(a), the semiconductor storage unit of this example comprises two banks 2a and 2b with a plurality of subarrays 1, 1, . . . arranged in a matrix form. The banks 2a and 2b each comprise: the respective sense amplifier columns (SA) 3, 3, . . . and the respective subword driver columns (SWD) 4, 4, . . . for individual subarrays 1, 1, . . . the respective subword lines (SWL) 5, 5, . . . wired in the X direction (horizontal direction in the figure) of a subarray 1 for individual subarrays 1, 1, . . . ; and the respective bit lines (BL) 6, 6, . . . wired in the Y direction (vertical direction in the figure) of a subarray 1 for individual subarrays 1, 1, . . . ; the respective local I/O lines (LIO) 7, 7, . . . and the respective main word lies (MWL) 8, 8, . . . wired in the X direction of a subarray 1; and the respective column selection line (CSL) 9, 9, . . . wired in the Y direction of a subarray 1 for individual subarrays 1, 1, . . . .
Besides, provided in common to the banks 2a and 2b are global I/O lines (GIO) 11 connected to I/O amplifiers 100 and 101, comprising write amplifiers, data amplifier or the like in the Y direction of subarray 1, controlled by a logical sum of signals conveyed over a column selection line 9, and switch lines (SWIO) 12 which is wired in the same direction as the global I/O lines 11 with one for each arranging column of the global I/O lines 11 and along which signals RWSRj indicating the active state of columns for connecting local I/O lines 7 and global I/O lines 11 are conveyed.
Next, the operation of the semiconductor storage unit configured above will be described. First, when the bank 2a is selected in accordance with a signal RACTj conveyed over the signal line 13 for indicating the active state of the row, a main word line 8 and a sub-word line 5 provided on the bank 2a are activated and moreover a signal SE for activating the sense amplifier column 3 stands up. When a sub-word line 5 is activated, bit lines 6 connected to the sub-word line 5 are gradually activated. Besides, activation of the sense amplifier column 3 by the signal SE causes the leading of a signal SAP.
Next, at the same time when a column selection line 9 provided on any subarray 1 is activated, a switch line 12 for connecting a local I/O line 7 and a global I/O line 11 provided on the subarray 1 is activated. Thereby, the local I/O line 7 and the global I/O line 11 provided on the subarray 1 are connected, both of them are gradually activated, and the data written in the memory cell 14 present on a bit line 6 of a desired subarray 1 in the bank 2a are read out.
Thereafter, when the column selection line 9 and the switch line 12 in the bank 2a becomes inactive and a column selection line 9 and a switch line 12 in the bank 2b are activated instead, a local I/O line 7 and a global I/O line 11 provided on the subarray 1 in the bank 2b are connected, both of them are gradually activated, and the data written in the memory cell 14 present on a bit line 6 of a desired subarray 1 in the bank 2b are read out.
Incidentally, the operation till the column selection line 9 and the switch line 12 in the bank 2b are activated will be omitted, because of being almost similar to that in the bank 2a.
Object of the Invention
Meanwhile, in the above conventional semiconductor unit, indeed since global I/O lines 11 are provided in common to the banks 2a and 2b and moreover switch lines 12 are wired with one for each arranging column of the global I/O lines 11 in the same direction as the global I/O lines 11, the number of wiring lines can be reduced and the chip area can be minimized as compared with a case where they are provided respectively for individual banks or for individual subarrays.
In the conventional semiconductor unit, however, since the number of signal lines for conveying the signal of an I/O amplifier 10 or signal lines for conveying the signal for activating a column decoder (YDEC in FIG. 33) or the like cannot be reduced, there was a limit to the reduction of the chip area in the semiconductor storage unit.
Besides, in the above semiconductor storage unit, since global I/O lines 11 are provided in common to the banks 2a and 2b, the time taken to convey data on a global I/O line 11 lengthens as compared with a case where I/O lines are provided respectively for individual banks. Accordingly, considering the delay of data on a global I/O line 11, a column decoder or an I/O amplifier must be activated, but no account whatever is made of this point in the conventional semiconductor storage unit. For this reason, with the connecting configuration of the I/O amplifier 100 and the I/O amplifier 10, to a common data I/O bus, for example, there is a fear that data read out from the respective banks 2 might collide with each other on a data I/O bus in a continuous readout of data from the banks 2a and 2b.
Furthermore, in the above conventional semiconductor storage unit, a local I/O line 7 and a global I/O line 11 are connected in accordance with a signal RWSj conveyed on the switch line 12, but no generation circuit for generating a signal RWSj is disclosed. Thus, there was a disadvantage in that switching for selecting the connection to a local I/O line 7 and the connection to a global I/O line 11 cannot be concretely implemented without any damage to data read from the banks 2a and 2b or data written into the banks 2a and 2b.
Besides, Japanese Patent Application No. 9-305505 describes that short-circuiting a global I/O line 11 during the switching period between the control over the bank 2a and the control over the bank 2b shortens the time until the subsequent operation begins, but discloses no specific circuits whatever. Thus, there was a disadvantage in that no speedup of operation in the switching time mentioned above is specifically implementable.
Besides, in a large capacity semiconductor storage unit, the test mode in which data are written into a plurality of bank at a time or read out at a time is provided to shorten the time for a fault analysis or an estimating test and there are cases where a test signal for this mode is supplied to the semiconductor storage unit. In the case of a global I/O lines 11 provided in common to the upper and lower banks 2a and 2b like the above conventional semiconductor storage unit, there was another demerit that supplying a test signal as it is allows data read out from individual banks 2a and 2b and conveyed to collide with each other in the global I/O line 11, thereby disabling the test to be normally carried out because the upper and lower buses are simultaneously activated.
Fulfilled in consideration of these circumstances, the present invention has an object in providing a semiconductor storage unit enabling the number of wiring lines to be reduced as well as the collision of data on data I/O buses to be prevented and capable of switching the connection between a local I/O line and a global I/O line without occurrence of damages to data, implementing speedup of the operation in the switching time of control for upper and lower banks and further performing a test normally and in a short time about fault analysis or the like.
To solve these problems, a semiconductor storage unit claimed in claim 1 comprises: a plurality of bank blocks including a plurality of banks with a memory cell array composed of a plurality of memory cells placed in a matrix form, neighboring to each other, a plurality of global I/O lines provided in parallel to the arranging direction of the above banks and in common therewith for conveying data read out from any of the memory cells in a memory cell array configuring the above banks or data to be written in any of the memory cells, a plurality of I/O amplifiers connected to individual global I/O lines for amplifying data conveyed by corresponding global I/O lines or data to be conveyed from this on, and a plurality of column decoders provided in common to the above banks for respectively outputting a plurality of column selection switches for setting the bit lines corresponding to the memory cell array configuring any of the banks at the selected state; and a plurality of bank selective circuit, provided in common with the bank configuring a corresponding bank block for each of the above bank blocks which produce a column decoder activation signal for activating the corresponding column decoder in accordance with multi-bit bank address signal for selecting any one of all banks configuring the above bank blocks and an I/O amplifier activation signal for activating the corresponding I/O amplifier.
The invention claimed in claim 2 relates to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block produced from the above multi-bit bank address signal and produces the above I/O amplifier activation signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 3 and 4 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits makes a logical sum of bank selection signals for selecting any one of the banks configuring the corresponding bank block produced from the above multi-bit bank address signal and produces the above column decoder activation signal.
The invention claimed in claim 5 relates to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits produce the above column decoder activation signal and the above I/O amplifier activation signal in accordance with a bank block selection signal for selecting a corresponding bank block, produced from a part of the bits configuring the above multi-bit bank address signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 6 to 8 relates to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in place of the above column decoder activation signal and the above I/O amplifier activation signal, the above bank selective circuits output the respective signals making logical product of the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of the above multi-bit column address signals with the above column decoder activation signal and the above I/O amplifier activation signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 9 to 11 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits comprises a test circuit that make a logical sum of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with the above bank selection signal or the above bank block selection signal to produce at least one of the above I/O amplifier activation signal or the above column decoder activation signal and make a logical product between the respective signals making a logical product of the above test signal with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and the signal making a logical product of the inverted signal of the above test signal with the above column decoder activation signal to produce a column decoder signal for each bank.
The inventions claimed in claims 12 to 14 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits make a logical sum between the respective signals making a logical product of a test signal for accomplishing a fault analysis or an estimation test with the multi-bits corresponding to the banks configuring the bank block of a multi-bit column address signal and the above bank selection signal or the above bank block selection signal to produce at least one of the above I/O amplifier activation signal or the above column decoder activation signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 15 to 17 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the above bank selective circuits output the above I/O amplifier activation signal after the delay of a predetermined time from the input of the above multi-bit bank address signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 18 to 20 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as set forth in any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that with the difference of a predetermined time between the write time of data and the readout time of data, the above bank selective circuits output the above I/O amplifier activation signal.
The inventions claimed in claims 21 to 23 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the above bank blocks each comprises a connection selective circuit with a plurality of local I/O lines, provided perpendicularly to the above global I/O lines for the above individual memory cell array and allowed to convey data read out from any of the memory cells or data to be written into any of the memory cells in the corresponding memory cell array by being connected to a corresponding global I/O line, for selecting the connection between the above local I/O lines and their corresponding global I/O lines at predetermined intervals in accordance with the above column decoder activation signal.
The inventions claimed in claim 24 and 26 relate to a semiconductor storage unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: an initialization circuit for short-circuiting and initializing the corresponding global I/O line in accordance with the above column decoder activation signal at the time of switchover of data readout from a certain bank to data readout from another bank in a continuous readout case of data from a plurality of banks provided corresponding to the above global I/O line configuring one and the same bank block.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;
FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are block diagrams showing an example of a chip layout of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a precharge global I/O circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a first column control section configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a second column control section configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the first column control section configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the second column control section configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of e semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 14 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 18 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;
FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing an example of the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a test circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing an example of the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration a bank select circuit configuring the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration f a bank select circuit configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 8 of the present invention;
FIG. 28 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the semiconductor storage unit;
FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 9 of the present invention;
FIG. 30 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 10 of the present invention;
FIG. 31 a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bank select circuit configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 11 of the present invention;
FIG. 32 is a schematic block diagram showing another example of the chip layout of the semiconductor storage unit according to the present invention; and
FIGS. 33(A) and 33(B) are block diagrams showing examples of the electric configuration of a conventional semiconductor storage unit: FIG. 33 (A) is a block diagram showing an example of the electric configuration of the main part; and FIG. 33(B) is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a circuit provided inside the block diagram shown in FIG. 33(A).
Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Embodiments are used to specifically make a description.
A. Embodiment 1:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is one example of a chip layout of the storage device.
As shown in FIG. 2 (B), the semiconductor storage unit of this example broadly comprises a functional block 211 and 212 and a peripheral circuit block 22. The functional block 211 and the functional block 212 differ in the index of components and moreover are the same in configuration except I/O signals and data, so that only the functional block 211 will be described. The functional block 211 broadly comprises bank blocks 231 and 232 and a peripheral circuit block 241. As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the bank block 231 and the bank block 232 are related in plane symmetry concerning the plane perpendicular to the sheet surface at the portion of the peripheral circuit block 241 except word drivers 321 and 322 and word drivers 323 and 324. These bank block 231 and the bank block 232 differ in the index of components and moreover are the same in configuration except I/O signals and data, so that only the bank block 231 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the bank block 231 broadly comprises bank 251 and 252, global I/O lines 261 and 262, switch lines 271a, 271b, 272a and 272b, I/O amplifier 281 ad 282 and a bank selective circuit 291.
The bank 251 broadly comprises a memory cell array 311, a word driver 321, sense amplifiers 331 and 332 and local I/O lines 341 to 344, whereas the bank 252 broadly comprises a memory cell array 312, a word driver 322, sense amplifiers 333 and 334 and local I/O lines 345 to 348. Provided between the bank 251 and the bank 252 are column decoder groups 351 and 352 and precharge global I/O circuits 361 and 362.
In memory cell arrays 311 and 312, a plurality of memory cells are disposed in the shape of a matrix and divided in two. The word drivers 321 and 322 provided respectively corresponding to individual word lines of memory cell arrays 311 and 312 and drive the word lines made in the selection state by the row decoder groups 481 and 482 configuring the peripheral circuit block 241. The sense amplifiers 331 to 334 detect and amplify data read out from a memory cell in the row selected of the memory cell arrays 311 and 312 to a bit line. On respectively being connected to the global I/O lines 261 and 262, the local I/O lines 341 and 348 transmit the data detected and amplified in the sense amplifiers 331 to 334 at the time of data readout and convey the data conveyed by the global I/O lines 261 and 262 to memory cells selected in the memory cell arrays 311 and 312 at the time of data write.
The column decoder groups 351 and 352, provided in common to the banks 251 and 252, comprise a plurality of column decoders for respectively outputting a plurality of column select switches, e.g. CSL10 to CSL13 and CSL20 to CSL23, serving to set the sense amplifiers 331 to 334 connected to the corresponding bit lines of the memory cell arrays 311 and 312 at the selection state on the basis of column select signals YS0 and YS1 supplied from the bank selective circuit 291 (e.g. for 8-bank arrangement, the indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258).
The precharge global I/O circuits 361 and 362, provided corresponding to the global I/O lines 261 and 262, set the global I/O lines 261 and 262 at the precharge state by short-circuiting the global I/O lines in an access at the time of data readout in accordance with a precharge global signal PG0, taking the "L" level, for example, only in one shot (e.g. for 8-bank arrangement, the indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to the banks 251 to 258) supplied from the second column control section 501 configuring the peripheral circuit block 241. Thereby, the corresponding column select switch is selected and data read out into a bit line and being in the progress of amplification by the sense amplification 331 to 334 are rapidly conveyed to the local I/O lines 341 to 348 without destruction.
Here, one example of arrangement for the precharge global I/O circuit 361 is shown in FIG. 3. The precharge global I/O circuit 361 broadly comprises an inverter 371 for inverting a precharge global signal PG0, an inverter 381 for inverting an output signal of the inverter 371, an N-channel FET 391 for turning ON in response to an output signal of the inverter 371 to shunt a pair of global I/O lines 261, a P-channel FET 401 for turning ON in response to an output signal of the inverter 381 to shunt a pair of global I/O lines 261, an N-channel FET 411 for turning ON in response to an output signal of the inverter 371 to apply an electric current voltage to one of a pair of global I/O lines 261 and an N-channel FET 421 for turning ON in response to an output signal of the inverter 371 to apply an electric current voltage to the other of a pair of global I/O lines 261. Incidentally, the arrangement for the precharge global I/O circuit 362 differs in the index of components and moreover are identical to that of the precharge global I/O circuit 361 except for different indices of inputted/outputted signals, so that the description thereof will be omitted.
The global I/O lines 261 and 262 shown in FIG. 1, provided in the common to the banks 251 and 252, convey data conveyed by the local I/O lines 341 to 348 respectively to the I/O amplifiers 281 and 282 and moreover convey data from the I/O amplifier 281 and 282 respectively to the local I/O lines 341 to 348. The switch lines 271a, 271b, 272a and 272b, disposed in parallel to the global I/O lines 261 and 262 and corresponding to the memory cell arrays 311 and 312 divided in two, convey switch signals SW0 and SW1 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to the banks 251 to 258), supplied from the second column control section 501 configuring the peripheral circuit block 241. The switch signals SW0 and SW1 are signals for connecting the corresponding global I/O lines 261 and 262 to the local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular to each of the global I/O lines 261 and 262 at the switchover time of an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252.
The I/O amplifiers 281 and 282, provided in common to the banks 251 and 252, broadly comprise a data amplifier activated by a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 supplied from the bank selective circuit 291 (indices take 0 to 3 corresponding to the bank blocks 231 to 234), detected and amplified in the sense amplifiers 331 to 334 and supplied via the local I/O lines 341 to 348 and the global I/O lines 261 and 262, and a write amplifier activated similarly by column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to amplify data supplied from the data I/O circuit 1141 via the data I/O bus 1151 and 1152.
On the basis of enable signals PN0 and PN1 supplied from enable circuits 1131 and 1132 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, the bank selective circuit 291, provided in common to the banks 251 and 252, produces column select signals YS0 to YS7 for the control of a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352 and column multi-select delay signals YMD0 to YMD3.
Here, FIG. 4 shows one example of configuration of a bank selective circuit 291. The bank selective circuit 291 broadly comprises a buffer 431 for buffering an enable signal PN0 to output it as a column select signal YS0, a buffer 441 for buffering an enable signal PN1 to output it as a column select signal YS1, an OR gate 451 for making a logical sum of an enable signal PN0 and an enable signal PN1, a delay element 461 for delaying an output signal of the OR gate 451 to cancel the delay (skew delay) for a predetermined time in column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352 and a buffer 471 for buffering an output signal of the delay element 461 to output it as a column multi-select delay signal YMD0.
As shown FIG. 2(a), the peripheral circuit block 241 broadly comprises row decoder groups 481 and 482, a first column control section 491 and second column control section 501 and 502. The first column control section 491 and the second column control section 501 and 502 constitute a column control circuit.
The row decoder groups 481 and 482, respectively provided corresponding to the individual word lines of memory cell arrays 311 as well as 313 and memory cell arrays 312 as well as 314, include a plurality of row decoders for decoding unshown row address signals to thus set the corresponding word lines of the memory cell arrays 311 as well as 313 and the memory cell arrays 312 and 314, respectively, to the selected state.
On the basis of a write burst signal WBT0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258, while two write burst signals WBT with the same index as the index attached to two banks 25 commonly connected to a global I/O line 26 control either representatively corresponding bank 25) indicating, e.g. the write burst period during the "H" level, supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22 and a column release signal YR0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) for defining the occurring time of various signals, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) obtained by delaying the column release signal YR0 for a predetermined period and inverting the resultant, a column release rear signal YRR0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) indicating the rear of the column release signal YR0, and a column release front signal YRF0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) indicating the front of the column release signal YR0 and moreover produces a column release center signal YRC0 (indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) indicating the center of the column release signal YR0 if the write burst signal WBT0 is a "L" level.
Here, FIG. 5 shows one example of first column control section 491. The first column control section 491 broadly comprises delay elements 511, 521, 531, 541, 551 and 561, inverters 571, 581, 591, 601, 611, 621, 631, 641, 651, 661 and 671, a transfer gate 681 and NAND gates 691, 701 and 711. The delay element 531 delays a column release signal YR0 for a time T1, the delay element 521 delays an output signal S1 of the delay element 531 for a predetermined time and the inverter 631 inverts an output signal of the delay element 521 to output the resultant as column release delay inverted signal YRD0. The delay element 511 delays a column release signal YR0 for a predetermined time, the delay element 541 delays an output signal of the delay element 531 for a predetermined time and the inverter 61, inverts an output signal of the delay element 541, the delay element 551 delays an output signal S22 of the inverter 611 for a predetermined time and the inverter 621 inverts an output signal of the delay element 551. Thereby, the NAND gate 691 makes a logical product of an output signal of the delay element 511 and an output signal S3 of the inverter 621 to thus invert and output the resultant and the inverter 641 inverts an output signal of the NAND gate 691 and outputs the resultant as column release rear signal YRR0. Besides, the NAND gate 701 makes a logical product of an output signal of the delay element 511 and an output signal of the inverter 611 and inverts and outputs the resultant as column release front signal YRF0. The inverter 571 inverts a write burst signal WBT0 and the inverter 581 inverts a column release signal YR0. Thereby, the transfer gate 641 is turned ON/OFF by a column release signal YR0 or an output signal of the inverter 581, thus allowing an output signal of the inverter 571 to pass. The inverter 591 inverts an output signal of the transfer gate 681, the inverter 601 inverts an output signal of the inverter 591 to supply the resultant to the inverter 591, the inverter 661 inverts an output signal of the inverter 591, the delay element 561 delays an output signal of the NAND gate 701 for a predetermined time and the inverter 651 inverts an output signal of the delay element 561. Thereby, the NAND gate 711 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 661 and an output signal S4 of the inverter 651 to invert and output the resultant and the inverter 671 inverts an output signal of the NAND gate 711 to output the resultant as a column releases center signal YRC0.
Besides, on the basis of column select signals YS0, YS1, YS2 and YS3 (the respective indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) supplied respectively from the bank selective circuits 291 and 292 configuring the bank blocks 231 and 232, a mode register reset signal MRS of resetting a mode register provided at a controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit 22 for temporarily holding various information items corresponding to commands of the mode register set, supplied from the outside, and a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0, a column release front signal YRF0 and a column release center signal YRC0 supplied from the first column control section 491, the second column control section 501 and 502 shown in FIG. 2(a), respectively provided corresponding to the bank blocks 231 and 232, produce switch signals SW0 and SW1, column decode latch signals YPT0 and YPT1 (the respective indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) for latching the inside address signals YP0 to YPm (e.g. m=0 to 12 for k=0 to 15) produced from address signals A0 to Ak (e.g. k=0 to 15) supplied from the outside to activate a plurality of column decoder configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352, column select inverted signals YSB0 and YSB1 (the respective indices take 0 to 7 corresponding to banks 251 to 258) for inactivating a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352, and a precharge global signal PG0 for short-circuiting the global I/O line 261 or 262 to set it to the precharge state prior to an access in the time of data readout.
Here, FIG. 6 shows one configurational example of second column control section 501. The second column control section 501 broadly comprises inverters 721, 731, 741, 751, 761, 771, 781, 791, 801, 811, 821, 831, 841, 851, 861, 871, 881, 891, 901, 911 and 921, transfer gates 931, 941, 951 and 961 and NAND gates 971, 981, 991, 1001, 1011, 1021, 1031, 1041, 1051 and 1061.
The inverter 721 inverts a column select signal YS0, the inverter 731 inverts a column select signal YS1, and the inverter 741 inverts a column release delay inverted signal YRD0. Thereby, the transfer gates 931 and 941 are turned ON/OFF by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0 or output signals of the inverter 741, thereby allowing output signals of the inverters 721 and 731 to pass therethrough respectively. The inverter 751 inverts a mode register reset signal MRS, the inverter 761 inverts an output signal of the transfer gate 931 and the inverter 791 inverts an output signal of the transfer gate 941. Thereby, the NAND gate 971 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 761 and an output signal of the inverter 751 to invert and supply the resultant to the inverter 791 and the NAND gate 981 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 791 and an output signal of the inverter 751 to invert and supply the resultant to the inverter 791. The inverter 771 inverts an output signal of the inverter 761 and the inverter 781 inverts and outputs an output signal of the inverter 771 as a switch signal SW0. The inverter 801 inverts an output signal of the inverter 791 and the inverter 811 inverts and outputs an output signal of the inverter 801 as a switch signal SW1.
The inverter 821 inverts a column release front signal YRF0 and the transfer gates 951 and 961 are turned ON/OFF by a column release front signal YRF0 or output signals of the inverter 821, thereby allowing output signals of the inverters 721 and 731 to respectively pass therethrough. The inverter 831 inverts an output signal of the transfer gate 951 and the inverter 841 inverts an output signal of the transfer gate 961. Thereby, the NAND gate 991 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 831 and an output signal of the inverter 751 to invert and supply the resultant to the inverter 831 and the NAND gate 1001 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 841 and an output signal of the inverter 751 to invert and supply the resultant to the inverter 841. The NAND gate 1031 makes a logical product of a column release rear signal YRR0 and an output signal of the inverter 831 to invert and output the resultant, then the inverter 851 inverts and outputs an output signal of the NAND gate 1031 as a column predecode latch signal YPT0.
Besides, the NAND gate 1041 makes a logical product of a column release rear signal YRR0 and an output signal of the inverter 841 to invert and output the resultant as a column predecode latch signal YPT1.
The NAND gate 1051 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 831 and an output signal of the inverter 821 to invert and output the resultant, the inverter 871 inverts an output signal of the NAND gate 1051 and the inverter 881 inverts an output signal of the inverter 871 to output the resultant as a column select inverted signal YSB0. Besides, the NAND gate 1061 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 841 and an output signal of the inverter 821 to invert and output the resultant, the inverter 891 inverts an output signal of the NAND gate 1061 and the inverter 901 inverts an output signal of the inverter 891 to output the resultant as a column select inverted signal YSB1.
The NAND gate 1011 makes a logical product of an output signal of the inverter 721 and an output signal of the inverter 731 to invert and output the resultant, the NAND gate 1021 makes a logical product of an output signal of the NAND gate 1021 and a column release center signal YRC0 to invert and output the resultant, the inverter 911 inverts an output signal of the NAND gate 1021 and an inverter 921 inverts an output signal of the inverter 911 to output the resultant as a precharge global signal PG0.
Incidentally, in the above circuit configuration, an example of respectively making column predecode latch signals YPT0 and YPT1, column select inverted signals YSB0 and YSB1 and switch signals SW0 and SW1 in the one-to-one correspondence of the banks 25 was shown, but they can be represented by those of either one bank if address signals of handling bank signals are present within the relevant region. In that case, it would be wise to make a column predecode latch signal YPT0 or YPT1, a column select inverted signal YSB0 or YSB1 and a switch signal SW0 or SW1 on the basis of the signal making a logical sum of a column select signal YS0 and a column select signal YS1 and an address related to a bank. According to such a configuration, the number of wiring lines and circuits can be reduced. This holds similarly also in the second and third embodiments.
Besides, a description will be omitted of the configuration of a second column control section 502 because of a similarity to that of a second column control section 501 except for the difference in the indices not only of individual components but also of I/O signals.
Besides, as shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral circuit block 22 broadly comprises bank decoders 1111 to 1118 (the bank decoders 1113 to 1119 are omitted in illustration), enable circuits 1121 to 1129 (the enable circuits 1123 to 1128 are omitted in illustration), a controller 113, a data I/O circuit 1141 and data I/O buses 1151 and 1152.
If the corresponding banks 251 to 258 are selected, the bank decoders 1111 to 1118, provided corresponding to banks 251 to 258, decode the bank select signals BS0 to BS2 (e.g., n=0 to 2 for k=0 to 15) produced from address signals A0 to Ak (e.g., k=0 to 15) externally supplied and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 of the bank select signals BS0 to BS2 to output the select decision signals SD0 to SD7 indicating the purport thereof. On the basis of the select decision signals SD0 to SD7 outputted from the corresponding bank decoders 1111 to 1118, the enable circuits 1121 to 1128, provided corresponding to the banks 251 to 258, produce and output enable signals PN0 to PN7 for activating the corresponding banks 251 to 258. The controller 113 with a mode register to be reset by using a mode register reset signal MRS in which various information items externally supplied are retained temporarily produces column release signals YR0 to YR7 (indices correspond to the banks 251 to 258) defining the occurrence timing of various signals or the like in accordance with the internal clock having a definite delay amount synchronous with an external clock.
The data I/O circuit 1141, provided in common with the bank 251 and 252, supplies the data inputted from the data I/O terminal DQ0 (indices take 0 to 3 corresponding to the bank blocks 231 to 234) via the I/O buses 1151 and 1152 to the I/O amplifiers 281 and 282 and moreover successively outputs data, supplied via the data I/O buses 1151 and 1152 from the I/O amplifiers 281 and 282, from the data I/O terminal DQ0. Incidentally, other than the above shape, the connection relation between the multi-bit composed data I/O terminal DQ0 and the data I/O terminals 1151 and 1152 and the connection relation between the data I/O buses 1151 and 1152 and the data I/O circuit 1141 may assume various shapes corresponding to different configurations of a memory array 31 and/or global I/O lines 261 but a description thereof will be omitted because of no direct relation to this embodiment.
Next, the operation of a semiconductor storage unit as configured above will be described referring to the timing charts shown in FIGS. 7 to 10. First of all, the data write operation into the bank 251 and the data readout operation from the bank 252 with a time lag between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252 (referred to as gap) will be described referring to the timing chart shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
When a write command WR (See FIG. 7 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 for the write of data supplied externally from a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory control unit (any of them is omitted in illustration) or the like are taken in synchronously with the leading of a first cycle in the clock CLK, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 7 (3)), bank select signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 251 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 7 (4)) are produced. Henceforth, letting the first cycle be a cycle with the leading edge of a clock CLK taken at the origin in which this write command WR is inputted, a description will be made. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1111 decodes bank select signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 indicating the gist that the corresponding banks 251 are selected (not shown in FIG. 7), the enable circuit 112, produces an enable signal PN0 for activating the corresponding bank 251 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1111 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal.
RWCMD (See FIG. 7 (4)) supplied synchronous with the leading of a third cycle (See FIG. 7 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 7 (5)). Incidentally, this holds true similarly also for the leading of the first cycle as conventionally. Thus, in the bank selective circuit 291, a column select signal YS0 is outputted from the buffer 431 (See FIG. 7 (7)) and moreover a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 471 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 7 (9)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like. Incidentally, to simplify the description in this embodiment, other control signals, input signals, circuits and so on not directly associated to this embodiment are omitted, so that only the enable circuit 112 and the controller 113 are shown.
On the other hand, since data supplied externally and inputted through the data I/O terminal DQ0 are supplied to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 by the data I/O circuit 1141, a write amplifier configuring an I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like is activated by a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 7 (9)) supplied from the bank selective circuit 291 to amplify data supplied via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 from the data I/O circuit 1141 then conveying them to the global I/O line 261 or 262. Besides, on the basis of an "H" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0 (See FIG. 8 (1)), for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0 (See FIG. 8 (3)), a column release rear signal YRR0 (See FIG. 8 (7)) and a column release front signal YRF0 (See FIG. 8 (6)). Incidentally, since the write burst signal WBT0 is a "H" level, the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level and does not become a wave form as shown in FIG. 8 (9). It is at the time of data readout that the column release center signal YRC0 becomes a wave form as shown in FIG. 8 (9).
Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column select signal YS0 supplied from the bank selective circuit 291 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and moreover the column select inverted signal YSB0 for inactivating a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 for activating a plurality of column decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 is produced. Incidentally, since the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level, the precharge global signal PG0 remains an "H" level.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW0, the bank 251 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, while signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded on the basis of a column select signal YS0 by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column select switches. Assuming here that these column select switches, for example, CSL10 to CSL13 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 7 (10)). Thereby, the data conveyed on the global I/O line 261 or 262 are conveyed to the selected memory cell of the memory cell array 311 via any of the local I/O lines 341 to 348.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 321 and a row decoder group 481 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are written into the selected memory cell of the bank 251.
Subsequently, when synchronously with the leading of the eighth period of a clock CLK (See FIG. 7 (2)), a read command RD (See FIG. 7 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 for the readout of data supplied externally are taken in, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 7 (3)), bank select signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 252 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 7 (4)) are produced. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1112 decodes bank select signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 indicating the gist that the corresponding banks 252 are selected (not shown in FIG. 7), the enable circuit 1122 produces an enable signal PN1 for activating the corresponding bank 252 on the basis of the select decision signal SD1 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1112 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 7 (4)) supplied synchronous with the leading of an eighth cycle (See FIG. 7 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 7 (6)).
Thus, in the bank selective circuit 291, a column select signal YS1 is outputted from the buffer 441 (See FIG. 7 (8)) and moreover a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 471 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 7 (9)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like.
On the other hand, on the basis of an "L" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0, a column release front signal YRF0 and a column release center signal YRC0. Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column select signal YS1 supplied from the bank selective circuit 291 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW1 is outputted and moreover the column select inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced and further a precharge global signal PG0 becoming only by one shot, e.g. an "L" level is produced.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW1, the bank 252 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, but the global I/O line 261 or 262 is short-circuited by means of the precharge global I/O circuit 361 or 362 only during the period of the precharge global signal PG0 becoming an "L" level to set the global I/O line 261 or 262 to the precharge state. Besides, on the basis of a column select signal YS0, signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column select switches. Assuming here that these column select switches, for example, CSL20 and CSL21 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 333 or 334 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 7 (11)). Thereby, the sense amplifier 333 or 334 detects and amplifies the data read out onto a bit line from the memory cell connected to the selected row of the memory cell array 312, so that the detected or amplified data are conveyed to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the local I/O lines 345 to 348 and the global I/O lines 261 or 262. Activated by the column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 7 (9)) supplied from the bank selective circuit 291, data amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like conveys the supplied data to the data I/O circuit 1141 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 after amplified. Thus, the data I/O circuit 1141 successively outputs the supplied data through the data I/O terminal DQ0.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 322 and a row decoder group 482 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are read out from the selected memory cell of the bank 252.
Next, referring to the timing chart shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a description will be made of the continuous readout operation of data from the banks 251 and 252 without a gap between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252. The basic operation is similar to that of the above presence case of a gap. As shown in FIG. 9 (9) and FIG. 10 (3), however, the absence of a gap allows a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to be kept active continuously. Incidentally, in FIG. 9 (9), the time of switchover is designated with a mark to clearly understand the switching from an access to the bank 251 over to an access to the bank 252, but the signal actually keeps continuous.
When a read command RD is continuous and data are successively read out from the bank 25, and the 252 as shown in FIG. 9 (1), an insufficient short-circuiting of a pair of global I/O lines 261 or 262 originating in a skew lag or the like occurring at the switching from an access to the bank 251 over to an access to the bank 252 in response to a switch signal SW0 or SW1 makes difficult a speedy readout of data from a memory cell and being amplified by any of the sense amplifiers 331 to 334.
Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 10 (9), (12) and (13), Embodiment 1 permits a short-circuiting of a pair of global I/O lines 262 and 262 to be fully fulfilled by the switchover from a switch signal SW0 to a switch signal SW1 during the period of a precharge global signal PG0 being an "L" level.
Like this, according to this embodiment, the global I/O lines 261 and 262 are provided in common with the banks 251 and 252 disposed top-to-bottom and moreover the bank selective circuit 291 is so arranged as to produce a column multi-select delay signal YMS0 from the signal making a logical sum of the enable signals PN0 and PN1, thereby enabling the number of wiring lines to be reduced in compare with Embodiment 1 of producing column multi-select delay signals YMD0 for each bank.
Besides, according to this embodiment, a short-circuiting of a pair of global I/O lines 261 or 262 is fully fulfilled by the switchover from a switch signal SW0 to a switch signal SW1 during the period of a precharge global signal PG0 being an "L" level, in case of a continuous read command RD and a continuous readout of data from the banks 251 and 252, thereby enabling the readout of data to be executed at high speed.
B. Embodiment 2
Then, Embodiment 2 will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 11, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 1 and a description thereof will be omitted. With the semiconductor storage unit shown in FIG. 11, a bank block 1211 is anew provided in place of the bank block 231 shown in FIG. 1. Incidentally, in a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 2, the configuration of a functional block 211 except the bank blocks 1211 and 1212 (unshown but the same configuration except for the difference in indices of the bank block 1211 and individual components and moreover the difference in indices of inputted/outputted signals and data) is much the same as that of the functional block 211 shown in FIG. 2 (1). As with Embodiment 1, the chip layout also comprises four bank blocks as shown in FIG. 2 (2). With respect to the second column control section 501, however, since the bank select circuit 1221 produces only a column multi-select signal YMS0 in place of column select signals YS0 and YS1 as mentioned above, the components related to a column select signal YS0 are correspondingly applied to those related to a column multi-select signal YMS0 as they are among the circuit shown in FIG. 6, but those related to a column multi-select signal YS1 are unnecessary and eliminated.
The bank block 1211 differs from the bank block 231 shown in FIG. 1 in that a bank select circuit 1221 is anew provided in place of the bank select circuit 291. Here, FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing one configurational example of bank select circuit 1221. In FIG. 12, like symbols are attached to those corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 4 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank select circuit 1221 differs from the bank select circuit 291 in that a buffer 1231 for buffering an output signal of the OR gate 451 to output it as column multi-select signal YMS0 is anew provided in place of buffers 431 and 441.
Next, the operation of a semiconductor storage unit as configured above will be described referring to FIGS. 13 and 14. First of all, the write operation of data into the bank 251 and the readout operation of data from the bank 252 with a gap between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252 will be described referring to a timing charts FIG. 13.
When a write command WR (See FIG. 13 (2)) and address signals AO to A15 for the write of data supplied externally are taken in synchronously with the leading (See FIG. 13 (2)) of a first cycle in the clock CLK, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 13 (3)), bank select signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 251 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 13 (4)) are produced. Henceforth, letting the cycle with the leading edge of a clock CLK when this write command WR was inputted taken at the origin be a first cycle, a description will be made. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1112 decodes bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals IBS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 (not shown in FIG. 13), the enable circuit 1121 produces an enable signal PN0 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1111 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 13 (4)) supplied synchronously with the leading of a third cycle (See FIG. 13 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 13 (5)). Incidentally, this holds true similarly also for the leading of the first cycle as conventionally. Thus, in the bank select circuit 1221, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 13 (7)) and moreover a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 472 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 13 (8)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like. Incidentally, to simplify the description, other control signals, input signals, circuits and so on not directly associated with this embodiment are omitted, so that only the enable circuit 112 and the controller 113 are shown.
On the other hand, since data supplied externally and inputted through the data I/O terminal DQ0 are supplied to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 by the data I/O circuit 1141, a write amplifier configuring an I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like is activated by a column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 13 (8)) supplied from the bank selection circuit 1221 to amplify data supplied via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 from the data I/O circuit 1141, then conveying them to the global I/O line 261 or 262. Besides, on the basis of an "H" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0 and a column release front signal YRF0. Incidentally, since the write burst signal WBT0 is a "H" level, the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level.
Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selection circuit 1221 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and moreover the column selection inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced. Incidentally, since the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level, the precharge global signal PG0 remains an "H" level.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW0 , the bank 251 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, while signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded on the basis of a column multi-select signal YMS0 by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches. Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL10 to CSL13 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 13 (9)). Thereby, the data conveyed on the global I/O line 261 or 262 are conveyed to the selected memory cell of the memory cell array 311 via any of the local I/O lines 341 to 348.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 321 and a row decoder group 481 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are written into the selected memory cell of the bank 251.
Subsequently, when synchronously with the leading of the eighth cycle of a clock CLK (See FIG. 13 (2)), a read command RD (See FIG. 13 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 supplied externally are taken in, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 13 (3)), bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 252 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 13 (4)) are produced. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1112 decodes bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD1 (not shown in FIG. 13), the enable circuit 1122 produces an enable signal PN1 on the basis of the select decision signal SD1 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1112 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 13 (4)) supplied synchronous with the leading of an eighth cycle (See FIG. 13 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 13 (6)).
Thus, in the bank selection circuit 1221, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 13 (7)) and moreover a column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 471 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 13 (8)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like.
On the other hand, on the basis of an "L" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0, a column release front signal YRF0 and a column release center signal YRC0. Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selection circuit 1221 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW1 is outputted and moreover the column selection inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced and further a precharge global signal PG0 becoming only by one shot, e.g. an "L" level is produced.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW1, the bank 252 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, but the global I/O line 261 or 262 is short-circuited by means of the precharge global I/O circuit 361 or 362 only during the period of the precharge global signal PG0 becoming an "L" level to set the global I/O line 261 or 262 to the precharge state. Besides, on the basis of a column multi-selection signal YMS0, signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches. Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL20 to CSL21 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 13 (10)). Thereby, the sense amplifier 333 or 334 detects and amplifies the data read out onto a bit line from the memory cell connected to the selected row of the memory cell array 312, so that the detected or amplified data are conveyed to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the local I/O lines 345 to 348 and the global I/O line 261 or 262. Activated by the column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 13 (8)) supplied from the bank selection circuit 1221, data amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like conveys the supplied data to the data I/O circuit 1141 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 after amplified. Thus, the data I/O circuit 1141 successively outputs the supplied data through the data I/O terminal DQ0.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 322 and a row decoder group 482 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are read out from the selected memory cell of the bank 252.
Next, FIG. 14 is a timing chart showing the continuous readout operation of data from the banks 251 and 252 without gap between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252. The basic operation is similar to that of the above presence case of a gap. As shown in FIG. 14 (7) and FIG. 14 (8),however, the absence of a gap allows a column multi-select signal YMS0 or a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to be kept active continuously. Incidentally, in FIG. 14 (7) and (8), the time of switching is designated with a mark to clearly understand the switching from an access to the bank 251 over to an access to the bank 252, but the signal keeps continuous in fact.
Like this, according to this embodiment, since the global I/O lines 261 and 262 are provided in common with the banks 251 and 252 disposed top-to-bottom and moreover the bank selection circuit 1221 is so arranged as to produce a column multi-select signal YMS0 and a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 from the signal making a logical sum of the enable signals PN0 and PN1, the number of wiring lines can be reduced to a greater extent than Embodiment 1 of producing column select signals YS0 and YS1 for each bank.
C. Embodiment 3
Then, Embodiment 3 will be described. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 3. In FIG. 15, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 11 and a description thereof will be omitted. With the semiconductor storage unit shown in FIG. 15, a bank block 1241 and a peripheral circuit block 125 are anew provided in place of the bank block 1211 and the peripheral circuit block 22 shown in FIG. 11. Incidentally, in a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 3, the configuration of a functional block 211 except the bank blocks 1241 and 1242 (unshown but the same configuration except for the difference in indices of individual components from the bank block 1241 as well as the difference in indices of inputted/outputted signals and data) and the peripheral circuit block 125 is much the same as that of the functional block 21, shown in FIG. 2 (1). Besides, as with Embodiments 1 and 2, the chip layout also comprises four bank blocks as shown in FIG. 2 (2). With respect to the second column control section 501, however, since the bank select circuit 1261 produces only a column multi-select signal YMS0 in place of column select signals YS0 and YS1 as mentioned later, the components related to a column select signal YS0 are correspondingly applied to those related to a column multi-select signal YMS0 as they are among the circuit shown in FIG. 6, but those related to a column select signal YS1 are unnecessary and eliminated.
The bank block 1241 differs from the bank block 1211 shown in FIG. 11 in that a bank select circuit 1261 is anew provided in place of the bank select circuit 1221. Here, FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing one configurational example of bank select circuit 1261. In FIG. 16, like symbols are attached to those corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 12 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank select circuit 1261 differs from the bank select circuit 1221 in that the OR gate 451 is eliminated and an enable signal PN0 is directly inputted to the buffer 1231 and the delay element 461.
The peripheral circuit block 125 differs from the peripheral circuit 22 shown in FIG. 11 in that four bank decoders 1271 to 1274 (bank decoders 1273 and 1274 are omitted in illustration) are anew provided in place of eight bank decoders 1111 to 1118 and in that four enable circuits 1125 to 1128 are eliminated out of the eight enable circuits 1121 to 1128. The bank decoders 1271 to 1274, provided corresponding to the bank blocks 231 to 234, decodes bank select signals BS1 and BS2 and the inverted signals /BS1 and /BS2 thereof and outputs select decision signals SD0 to SD3 indicating its gist if the corresponding bank blocks 231 to 234 are selected. The enable circuits 1121 to 1124, corresponding to the bank blocks 231 to 234, produce and output enable signals PN0 to PN3 for activating the corresponding bank blocks 231 to 234, on the basis of select decision signals SD0 to SD4 issued from the corresponding bank decoders 1271 to 1274.
Next, the operation of a semiconductor storage unit as configured above will be described referring to timing charts shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. First of all, the write operation of data into the bank 251 and the readout operation of data from the bank 252 with a gap between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252 will be described referring to the timing chart of FIG. 17.
When a write command WR (See FIG. 17 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 supplied externally are taken in synchronously with the leading (See FIG. 17 (2)) of a first cycle in the clock CLK, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 17 (3)), bank select signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 251 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 17 (4)) are produced. Henceforth, letting the cycle with the leading edge of a clock CLK when this write command WR was inputted taken at the origin be a first cycle, a description will be made. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1271 decodes the bits BS1 and BS2 except the least significant bit BS0 out of bank select signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 of the bank select signals BS1 and BS2 to output select decision signal SD0 indicating a gist that the corresponding bank block 231 is selected (not shown in FIG. 17), the enable circuit 1121 produces an enable signal PN0 for activating the corresponding bank block 231 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1271 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 17 (4)) supplied synchronously with the leading of the third cycle (See FIG. 17 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 17 (5)). Incidentally, this holds true similarly also for the leading of the first cycle as conventionally. Thus, in the bank select circuit 1261, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 17 (6)) and moreover a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 471 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 17 (7)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like. Incidentally, to simplify the description, other control signals, input signals, circuits and so on not directly associated with this embodiment are omitted, so that only the enable circuit 112 and the controller 113 are shown.
On the other hand, since data supplied externally and inputted through the data I/O terminal DQ0 are supplied to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the data I/O bus 115 or 1152 by the data I/O circuit 1141, a write amplifier configuring an I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like is activated by a column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 17 (7)) supplied from the bank selection circuit 1261 to amplify data supplied via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 from the data I/O circuit 1141, then conveying them to the global I/O line 261 or 262. Besides, on the basis of an "H" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0 and a column release front signal YRF0. Incidentally, since the write burst signal WBT0 is a "H" level, the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level.
Thereby, in the second column control section 5011 the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selection circuit 1261 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and moreover the column selection inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced. Incidentally, since the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level, the precharge global signal PG0 remains an "H" level.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW0, the bank 251 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, while signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded on the basis of a column multi-select signal YMS0 by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches. Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL10 to CSL13 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 17 (8)).
Thereby, the data conveyed on the global I/O line 261 or 262 are conveyed to the selected memory cell of the memory cell array 311 via any of the local I/O lines 341 to 348.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 321 and a row decoder group 481 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are written into the selected memory cell of the bank 251.
Subsequently, when synchronously with the leading of the eighth cycle of a clock CLK (See FIG. 17 (2)), a read command RD (See FIG. 17 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15. supplied externally are taken in, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 17 (3)), bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 252 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 17 (4)) are produced. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1271 decodes the other bits BS1 and BS2 than the least significant bit BS0 out of bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS1 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 indicating a gist that the corresponding bank block 231 is selected (not shown in FIG. 17), the enable circuit 1122 produces an enable signal PN0 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1272 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 17 (4)) supplied synchronously with the leading of an eighth cycle (See FIG. 17 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 17 (5)). Thus, in the bank selection circuit 1261, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 17 (6)) and moreover a column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 after the lapse of a predetermined time (See FIG. 17 (7)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like.
On the other hand, on the basis of an "L" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0, a column release front signal YRF0 and a column release center signal YRC0. Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selection circuit 1261 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and moreover the column selection inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced and further a precharge global signal PG0 becoming only by one shot, e.g. an "L" level is produced.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW1, the bank 252 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, but the global I/O line 261 or 262 is short-circuited by means of the precharge global I/O circuit 361 or 362 only during the period of the precharge global signal PG0 becoming an "L" level to set the global I/O line 261 or 262 to the precharge state. Besides, on the basis of a column multi-selection signal YMS0, signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches. Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL20 to CSL21 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 17 (9)). Thereby, the sense amplifier 333 or 334 detects and amplifies the data read out onto a bit line from the memory cell connected to the selected row of the memory cell array 312, so that the detected or amplified data are conveyed to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the local I/O lines 345 to 348 and the global I/O line 261 or 262. Activated by the column multi-selection delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 17 (7)) supplied from the bank select circuit 1261, data amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like conveys the supplied data to the data I/O circuit 1141 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 after amplified. Thus, the data I/O circuit 1141 successively outputs the supplied data through the data I/O terminal DQ0.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 322 and a row decoder group 482 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are read out from the selected memory cell of the bank 252.
Next, FIG. 18 is a timing chart showing the continuous readout operation of data from the banks 251 and 252 without a gap between an access to the bank 251 and an access to the bank 252. The basic operation is similar to that of the above presence case of a gap. As shown in FIGS. 18 (5) to (7), Li; however, the absence of a gap allows an enable signal PN0 a column multi-select signal YMS0 or a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to be kept active continuously. Incidentally, in FIG. 18 (5) to (7), the time of switching is designated with a mark to clearly understand the switching from an access to the bank 251 over to an access to the bank 252, but the signal keeps active in fact.
Like this, according to this embodiment, since the global I/O lines 261 and 262 are provided in common with the banks 251 and 252 disposed top-to-bottom and moreover the bank selection circuit 1261 is so arranged as to produce a column multi-select signal YMS0 and a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 from the enable signal PN0 for activating the bank block 231, the number of wiring lines can be reduced to a greater extent than Embodiment 2 of producing enable signals PN0 and PN1 for each bank and moreover the number of bank decoders 127 and enable circuits 112 can be also reduced by half.
D. Embodiment 4
Then, Embodiment 4 will be described. FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 4. In FIG. 19, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 11 and a description thereof will be omitted.
With the semiconductor storage unit shown in FIG. 19, a bank block 131, is anew provided in place of the bank block 1211 shown in FIG. 11. Incidentally, in a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 4, the configuration of the functional blocks 211 except for the bank block 1311 and the bank block 1312 (unshown but the same configuration except for a difference in indices of individual components from the bank block 1311 as well as a difference in indices of inputted/outputted signals and data) is much the same as that of the functional block 211 shown in FIG. 2 (1). Besides, as with Embodiments 1 to 3, the chip layout also comprises four bank blocks as shown in FIG. 2 (2). With respect to the second column control section 501, however, since the bank select circuit 132, produces only a column multi-select signal YMS0 in place of column select signals YS0 and YS1 as mentioned later, the components related to a column select signal YS0 are correspondingly applied to those related to a column multi-select signal YMS0 as they are among the circuit shown in FIG. 6, but those related to a column select signal YS1 are unnecessary and eliminated.
The bank block 1311 differs from the bank block 1211 shown in FIG. 11 in that a bank select circuit 1321 is anew provided in place of the bank select circuit 1221. Here, FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing one configurational example of bank select circuit 1321. In FIG. 20, like symbols are attached to those corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 12 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank select circuit 1321 differs from the bank select circuit 1221 in that an AND gate 1331 for making a logical product of an internal address signal /YP0 and a column multi-select signal YMS0, as an output signal of the buffer 1231 to output the resultant as a column multi-select signal YMSP0, an AND gate 1341 for making a logical product of an internal address signal YP0 and a column multi-select signal YMS0 to output the resultant as a column multi-select signal YMSP1, an AND gate 1351 for making a logical product of an internal address signal/YP0 and a column multi-select delay signal YMD0, as an output signal of the buffer 471 to output the resultant as a column multi-select delay signal YMDP0 and an AND gate 1361 for making a logical product of an internal address signal YP0 and a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to output the resultant as a column multi-select delay signal YMDP1 are anew provided. Incidentally, except that the number of precharge global I/O circuits 361 or 362 activated by the column multi-select signal YMSP0 and YMSP1 as well as the column multi-select delay signal YMDP0 and YMDP1 are reduced by half, thereby resulting a reduction by half of the number of activated memory cells in the bank 251 or 252 relative to that of Embodiment 2, the operation of a semiconductor storage unit as configured above is much the same as with Embodiment 2, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to Embodiment 4, since AND gates 1331, 1341, 1351 and 1361 are provided, logical products of an internal signals /YP0 and YP0 with a column multi-select signal YMS0 or a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 are made and the results are used as activating signals, the number of memory cells in the banks 251 and 252 can be reduced by half as compared with Embodiment 2.
E. Embodiment 5
Then, Embodiment 5 will be described. FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 5. In FIG. 21, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 15 and a description thereof will be omitted. With the semiconductor storage unit shown in FIG. 21, a bank block 1401 and a peripheral circuit block 141 are anew provided in place of the bank block 1241 and the peripheral circuit block 125 shown in FIG. 15 and further a test circuit 1421 configuring a column control circuit is anew provided along with the first column control section 491 and the second column control sections 501 and 502. Incidentally, in a semiconductor storage unit according to this embodiment, the configuration of the functional block 211 except for the bank block 1401 and the bank block 1402 (unshown but the same configuration except for a difference in indices of individual components from the bank block 1401 as well as a difference in indices of inputted/outputted signals and data), the peripheral circuit block 141 and the test circuit 1421 is much the same as that of the functional block 211 shown in FIG. 2 (1). Besides, as with Embodiments 1 to 4, the chip layout also comprises four bank blocks as shown in FIG. 2 (2). With respect to the second column control section 501, however, since the bank select circuit 1431 produces only a column multi-select signal YMS0 in place of column select signals YS0 and YS1 as mentioned later, the components related to a column select signal YS0 are correspondingly applied to those related to a column multi-select signal YMS0 as they are among the circuit shown in FIG. 6, but those related to a column select signal YS1 are unnecessary and eliminated.
The bank block 1401 differs from the bank block 1241 shown in FIG. 15 in that a bank select circuit 1431 is anew provided in place of the bank select circuit 1261. Here, FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing one configurational example of a bank select circuit 1431. In FIG. 22, like symbols are attached to those corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 16 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank select circuit 1431 differs from the bank select circuit 1261 in that an OR gate 1441 for making a logical sum of a test signal TS supplied from the controller 153 and an enable signal PN0 is anew provided and an output signal of the OR gate 1441 is inputted to the buffer 1231 and the delay element 461.
The peripheral circuit block 141 differs from the peripheral circuit block 125 shown in FIG. 15 in that a controller 145 is anew provided in place of the controller 113. The controller l45 differs from the controller 113 shown in FIG. 15 in producing and outputting also a test signal TS for performing a test such as fault analysis of this semiconductor storage unit.
Next, FIG. 22 shows a block diagram of a configurational example of test circuit 1421. The test circuit 1421 of this example broadly comprises an AND gate 1461 for making a logical product of a test signal TS supplied from the controller 145 configuring the peripheral circuit block 141 and an internal address signal /YP0, an AND gate 1471 for making a logical product of the test signal TS and an internal address signal YP0, an invertor 1481 for inverting the test signal TS, an AND gate 1491 for making a logical product of an output signal of the invertor 1481 and a column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank select circuit 1431, an OR gate 1501 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the AND gate 1461 and an output signal of the AND gate 1491, an OR gate 1511 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the AND gate 1471 and an output signal of the AND gate 1491, a buffer gate 1521 for buffering an output signal of the OR gate 1501 to output it as a column multi-select signal YMBT0 and a buffer 1531 for buffering an output signal of the OR gate 1511 to output it as a column multi-select signal YMBT1.
In such a configuration, since the controller 145 outputs a an "H" level test signal TS on the basis of a test command supplied externally at the time of a test, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the bank select circuit 1431 on the basis of the test signal TS. In this case, when an internal address signal/YP0 is supplied to test the bank 251, the AND gate 1461 allows the test signal TS to pass in the test circuit 1421. Thereby, since a column multi-select signal YMBT0 is outputted from the buffer 1521, a test of the bank 251 becomes possible. In contrast to this, when an internal address signal YP0 is supplied to test the bank 252, the AND gate 1471 allows the test signal TS to pass in the test circuit 1421. Thereby, since a column multi-select signal YMBT1 is outputted from the buffer 1531, a test of the bank 252 becomes possible.
On the other hand, at a normal time, since the controller 145 outputs an "L" level test signal TS, the AND gate 1491 always allows the column multi-select signal YMS0 to pass in the test circuit 1421. Thereby, a column multi-select signal YMBT0 and a column multi-select signal YMBT1 are outputted from the buffers 1521 and 1531. The subsequent operation is almost similar to that of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 3, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
As described above, in a large capacity semiconductor storage unit, a test mode for writing data at a time or reading data at a time into/from a plurality of banks is provided to shorten the time of a fault analysis or an estimate test and there is a case of supplying a test signal to a semiconductor storage unit for this purpose. In a semiconductor storage unit with global I/O lines 261 and 262 provided in common with the upper and lower banks 251 and 252, only the bank 25 selected by use of the bank select signals BS0 to BS2 is activated in an ordinary use mode, but since the upper and lower banks 251 and 252 are simultaneously excited in a conventional test mode when a test mode is supplied as it is, data read from individual banks 251 and 252 collide with each other in the global I/O line 261 or 262, thus disabling a test to be normally carried out.
Under these circumstances, by an arrangement that a test signal is produced in the controller 145 and moreover only either of a column multi-select signal YMBT0 or a column multi-select signal YMBT1 is outputted on the basis of an internal address signal /YP0 or an internal address signal YP0 in the test circuit 1421 as seen in this example, only either of the bank 251 or the bank 252 configuring the bank block 1401 is activated. Thus, the collision of data read out from individual banks 251 and 252 on the global I/O line 261 or 262 can be avoided.
F. Embodiment 6
Then, Embodiment 6 will be described. FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing the electric configuration of the main part of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 6. In FIG. 24, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 1 and a description thereof will be omitted. With the semiconductor storage unit shown in FIG. 24, a bank block 1541 and a peripheral circuit block 155 are anew provided in place of the bank block 23, and the peripheral circuit block 22 shown in FIG. 1. Incidentally, in a semiconductor storage unit according to this embodiment, other constituents of the functional block 211 than the bank block 1541 and the bank block 1542 (unshown but the same configuration except for a difference in indices of individual components from the bank block 1541 as well as a difference in indices of inputted/outputted signals and data) and the peripheral circuit block 1551 are much the same as those of the functional block 211 shown in FIG. 2 (1). Besides, as with Embodiments 1 to 5, the chip layout also comprises four bank blocks as shown in FIG. 2 (2).
The bank block 1541 differs from the bank block 231 shown in FIG. 1 in that a bank select circuit 1561 is anew provided in place of the bank select circuit 291. Here, FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing one configurational example of bank select circuit 1561. In FIG. 25, like symbols are attached to those corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 4 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank select circuit 1561 differs from the bank select circuit 291 shown in FIG. 4 in that an AND gate 1581 for making a logical product of a test signal TS and an internal address signal/YP0, an AND gate 1591 for making a logical product of a test signal TS and an internal address signal YP0, an OR gate 1601 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the AND gate 1581 and an enable signal PN0 and an OR gate 1611 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the AND gate 1591 and an enable signal PN1 are anew provided and in that an output signal of the OR gate 1601 is inputted to the input terminal of the buffer 431 and one of input terminal of the OR gate 451 and an output signal of the OR gate 1611 is inputted to the input of the buffer 441 and the other of input terminal of the OR gate 451.
Besides, the peripheral circuit block 155 shown in FIG. 24 differs from the peripheral circuit block 22 shown in FIG. 1 in that a controller 157 is anew provided in place of the controller 113. The controller 157 differs from the controller 113 shown in FIG. 1 in producing and outputting a test signal TS also for performing a test such as fault analysis of this semiconductor unit on the basis of a test command supplied externally.
In such a configuration, the controller 157 outputs an "H" level test signal TS on the basis of a test command supplied externally at the time of a test. In this case, when an go internal address signal /YP0 is supplied to test the bank 251, the AND gate 1581 allows the test signal TS to pass in the bank selective circuit 1561. Thereby, since a column select signal YS0 is outputted from the buffer 431, a test of the bank 251 becomes possible. In contrast to this, when an internal address signal YP0 is supplied to test the bank 252, the AND gate 1591 allows the test signal TS to pass in the bank selective circuit 1561. Thereby, since a column select signal YS1 is outputted from the buffer 441, a test of the bank 252 becomes possible.
On the other hand, at a normal time, since the controller 157 outputs an "L" level test signal TS, in the bank selective circuit 1561 both an output signal of the AND gate 1581 and an output signal of the AND gate 1591 are always of an "L" level and column select signals YS0 and YS1 are outputted only on the basis of enable signals PN0 and PN1. The subsequent operation is almost similar to that of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 1, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to Embodiment 6, since the controller 157 produces a test signal TS and moreover the bank select circuit 1551 is so arranged as to output only either of a column select signal YS0 or a column select signal YS1 on the basis of an internal address signal /YP0 or an internal address signal YP0, only either of the banks 251 or 252 configuring the bank block 1541 is activated. Thus, the collision of data read out from individual banks 251 and 252 on the global I/O line 261 or 262 can be avoided.
G. Embodiment 7
Then, Embodiment 7 will be described. FIG. 26 is a block a diagram showing one configurational example of bank selective circuit 1621 configuring a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. In FIG. 26, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 4 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank selective circuit 1621 differs from the bank selective circuit 291 shown in FIG. 4 in that an AND gate 1631 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a write signal W indicating the write period of data supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, an AND gate 1641 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a read signal R indicating the readout period of data supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, a delay element 1651 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1631 for a predetermined time, a delay element 1661 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1641 for a predetermined time and an OR gate 1671 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the delay element 1651 and the delay element 1661 are anew provided in place of the delay element 461 and in that an output signal of the OR gate 1671 is supplied to the input terminal of the buffer 471. The delay amount of the delay element 1651 and that of the delay element 1661 are set to mutual different values corresponding to the difference of skew lags (timing lags) between the data write time and the data readout time to reduce a skew lag.
Incidentally, other constituents and operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 7 are much the same as those of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 1 (See FIGS. 1 to 6 and 8) and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to this embodiment, since delay elements 1651 and 1661 are provided in the bank selective circuit 1621, a skew lag at the time of data write and a skew lad at the time of data readout can be separately reduced respectively and the design on the regulation of skews is facilitated. Hereinafter, the reason for this will be described.
At the time of data write, externally supplied data are conveyed to a sense amplifier via the global I/O line 261 or 262 and the local I/O lines 341 to 348 after amplified in a write amplifier configuring the I/O amplifiers 281 and 282 activated by a column multi-select delay signal YMD0. Thus, prior to the turn ON of the column select switch based on a column select signal YS0 or YS1, a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 has to be produced.
In contrast to this, at the time of data readout, data are read out from a memory cell via a bit line by turning ON the column select switch, conveyed via the local I/O lines 341 to 348 and the global I/O line 261 or 262 after amplified by use of a sense amplifier and amplified in a data amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 activated by a column multi-select delay signal YMD0. Thus, after the column select switch is turned ON on the basis of a column select signal YS0 or YS1, a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 has to be produced and the column multi-select delay signal YMD0 cannot be turned OFF till all the data are read out.
In other words, at the time of data write and at the time of data readout, the timing for turning ON the column select switch and the occurrence time of a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 have to be made different.
Though having a delay depending on the performance of individual elements and a delay originating in delay elements (See FIG. 6), a column select signals YS0 and YS1 for controlling a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352, a column predecode latch signal YPT0 for activating a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352 and a column select inverted signal YSB0 for inactivating a plurality of column decoders configuring the column decoder groups 351 and 352 are produced synchronously with the leading of the corresponding clock CLK independently of the type of supplied commands. Accordingly, if a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 for activating a data amplifier or write amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 is produced regardless of the type of supplied command synchronously with the leading of a clock CLK corresponding in a uniform manner, e.g. in the case of a change from an access to the bank 251 to an access to the bank 252 by use of a switch signal SW0 or SW1 for a continuous readout of data from the bank 251 and 252 under a continuously issued read command RD, a period of simultaneous activation of data amplifiers configuring the I/O amplifiers 281 and 282 commonly connected to the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 may occur. In this case, data read from the bank 251 and data read from the bank 252 collide with each other on the data I/O bus 1151 and 1152, thereby preventing data from being correctly read out.
Ordinarily, to prevent such a colliding period of data, the length of an activation period of a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 is regulated in common with a write command WR and a read command RD, the occurrence timing of a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to a write command WR during the write of data is delayed by lengthening the period of a clock CLK or the period extending from the trailing of the prior column multi-select delay signal YMD0 to the leading of the next clock CLK is prolonged during the readout of data. With an increase in storage capacity, however, the size of the bank 251 and the bank 252 increases and further the length of global I/O buses 261 and 262 also increases, thus leading to s prolonged period of data conveyance there, so that the above collision cannot be completely prevented only by regulating the length of the activation period of a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 and a longer period of the clock CLK results in a lower speed of data write or data readout.
Under theses circumstances, in this embodiment, a skew lag at the write time of data and a skew lag at the readout time of data are made separately reducible by the provision of delay elements 1651 and 1661 in the bank selective circuit 1621 mutually different in delay amount on the bank selective circuit, thereby facilitating the design on the regulation of skew lags and enabling the write and readout of data to be carried out at high speed.
H. Embodiment 8
Then, Embodiment 8 will be described. FIG. 27 is a circuit diagram showing a configurational example of bank selective circuit 1711 of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 8. In FIG. 21, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 12 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank selective circuit 1711 differs from the bank selective circuit 1221 shown in FIG. 12 in that an AND gate 1721 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a write signal W supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, an AND gate 1731 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a read signal R supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, a delay element 1741 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1721 for a predetermined time, a delay element 1751 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1731 for a predetermined time and an OR gate 1761 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the delay element 1741 and the delay element 1751 are anew provided in place of the delay element 461 and in that an output signal of the OR gate 1761 is supplied to the input terminal of the buffer 1191. The delay amount of the delay element 1741 and that of the delay element 1751 are set to mutually different values from each other corresponding to the difference of skew lags between the data write time and the data readout time to reduce a skew lag. Incidentally, other constituents of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 8 are much the same as those of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 2 (See FIG. 2 and 11) and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
Next, in a semiconductor storage unit as configured above, the write operation of data into the bank 251 and the readout operation of data from the bank 251 will be described referring to the timing chart of FIG. 28.
When a write command WR (See FIG. 28 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 supplied externally are taken in synchronously with the leading (See FIG. 28 (2)) of a first cycle in the clock CLK, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 28 (3)), bank select signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 251 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 28 (4)) are produced. Henceforth, letting the first cycle be a cycle with the leading of a clock CLK taken as the origin in which this write command WR was inputted, a description will be made. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1111 decodes bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 (not shown in FIG. 28), the enable circuit 1122 produces an enable signal PN0 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1111 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 28 (4)) supplied synchronously with the leading of the third cycle (See FIG. 28 (2)) in the clock CLK (See FIG. 28 (5)). Incidentally, this holds true similarly also for the first cycle as conventionally.
Thus, in the bank selective circuit 1711 a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 28 (6)) and simultaneously a write signal W is supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 22, thereby allowing the AND gate 1721 to pass an enable signal PN0. Thereby, in the delay element 1741, the enable signal PN0 is delayed by a set delay amount, and thereafter outputted from the buffer 471 via the OR gate 1761 as a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 28 (7)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like. Incidentally, in this embodiment, other control signals, input signals, circuits or the like that are not directly related to the embodiment are omitted, and thus only the enable circuit 112 and the controller 113 are described, aiming at simplifying the explanation.
On the other hand, since data supplied externally and inputted through the data I/O terminal DQ0 are supplied to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 by the data I/O circuit 1141, a write amplifier configuring an I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like is activated by a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 28 (7)) supplied from the bank selective circuit 1711 to amplify data supplied via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 from the data I/O circuit 1141, then conveying them to the global I/O line 261 or 262.
Besides, on the basis of an "H" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0 and a column release front signal YRF0. Incidentally, since the write burst signal WBT0 is a "H" level, the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level.
Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selective circuit 1711 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and moreover the column selection inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced. Incidentally, since the column release center signal YRC0 remains a "L" level, the precharge global signal PG0 remains an "H" level.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW0, the bank 251 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 348 perpendicular thereto, while signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded on the basis of a column multi-select signal YMS0 by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches in conformity with the timing of data arrival, i.e. after the lapse of time T6 from the leading of a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 as shown in FIGS. 28 (7) and (8). Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL1 O to CSL13 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 33 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 28 (8)). Thereby, the data conveyed on the global I/O line 261 or 262 are conveyed to the selected memory cell of the memory cell array 311 via any of the local I/O lines 341 to 348.
Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 321 and a row decoder group 481 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are written into the selected memory cell of the bank 251.
Subsequently, when synchronously with the leading of the eighth cycle of a clock CLK (See FIG. 28 (2)), a read command RD (See FIG. 28 (1)) and address signals A0 to A15 supplied externally are taken in, internal address signals YP0 to YP12 (See FIG. 28 (3)), bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 for selecting the bank 251 and an internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 28 (4)) are produced. Thereby, since the bank decoder 1111 decodes bank selection signals BS0 to BS2 and the inverted signals /BS0 to /BS2 thereof to output a select decision signal SD0 (not shown in FIG. 28), the enable circuit 1121 produces an enable signal PN0 on the basis of the select decision signal SD0 outputted from the corresponding bank decoder 1111 and outputs it synchronously with the internal command signal RWCMD (See FIG. 28 (4)) supplied synchronous with the leading of an eighth cycle (See FIG. 28 (2)) in the clock CLK.
Thus, in the bank selective circuit 1711, a column multi-select signal YMS0 is outputted from the buffer 1231 (See FIG. 28 (6)) and simultaneously a read signal R is supplied from the controller 113, thereby allowing the AND gate 1731 to pass an enable signal PN0. Thereby, in the delay element 1751, the enable signal PN0 is delayed by a set delay amount, i.e. as mentioned later an amount corresponding to the time taken from the detection and amplification of data read from a memory cell connected to the selected row of the memory cell array 312 till the data arrival at the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the local I/O, lines 341 to 344 and the global I/O line 261 or 262, and thereafter outputted from the buffer 471 via the OR gate 1761 as a column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 22 (7)). Besides, the controller 113 produces a column release signal YR0, a write burst signal WBT0 or the like.
On the other hand, on the basis of an "L" level write burst signal WBT0 and a column release signal YR0, for example, supplied from the controller 113, the first column control section 491 produces a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a column release rear signal YRR0, a column release front signal YRF0 and a column release center signal YRC0. Thereby, in the second column control section 501, the column multi-select signal YMS0 supplied from the bank selective circuit 1711 is latched by a column release delay inverted signal YRD0, a switch signal SW0 is outputted and simultaneously the column select inverted signal YSB0 is released on the basis of the column release front signal YRF0, :whereas a column predecode latch signal YPT0 is produced and further a precharge global signal PG0 becoming only by one shot, e.g. an "L" level is produced.
Thus, on the basis of a switch signal SW0, the bank 251 is selected and the global I/O line 261 or 262 is connected to the respective local I/O lines 341 to 344 perpendicular thereto, but the global I/O line 261 or 262 is short-circuited by means of the precharge global I/O circuit 361 or 362 only during the period of the precharge global signal PG0 becoming an "L" level to set the global I/O line 261 or 262 to the precharge state. Besides, on the basis of a column selection signal YS0, signals predecoded by use of a predecoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 are decoded by use of a main decoder configuring the column decoder group 351 or 352 and become outputs of column selection switches. Assuming here that these column selection switches, for example, CSL20 to CSL21 are successively selected, sense amplifiers 331 or 332 of the corresponding bit lines are selected (See FIG. 28 (10)). Thereby, the sense amplifier 331 or 332 detects and amplifies the data read out from the memory cell connected to the selected row of the memory cell array 311, so that the detected or amplified data are conveyed to the I/O amplifier 281 or 282 via the local I/O lines 341 to 344 and the global I/O 261 or 262. Activated by the column multi-select delay signal YMD0 (See FIG. 28 (8)) supplied from the bank selection circuit 1711 in conformity with the timing of data arrival as mentioned above, i.e. after the lapse of time T7 from the leading of a column select switch CSL20 as shown in FIGS. 28 (7) and (9), data amplifier configuring the I/O amplifier 281 or 282, or the like conveys the supplied data to the data I/O circuit 1141 via the data I/O bus 1151 or 1152 after amplified. Thus, the data I/O circuit 1141 successively outputs the supplied data through the data I/O terminal DQ0. Incidentally, the operation of a word driver 321 and a row decoder group 481 are not directly associated with this embodiment, so that a description thereof will be omitted.
By use of the operation described above, data are read out from the selected memory cell of the bank 251.
Incidentally, since other operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 8 are much the same as those of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 2 (See FIGS. 13 and 14), a description thereof will be omitted. Embodiment 8 can be applied to Embodiment 4 as it is.
Like this, according to this embodiment, a skew lag at the write time of data and a skew lag at the readout time of data are made separately reducible by the provision of delay elements 1741 and 1751 in the bank selective circuit 1711, thereby facilitating the design on the regulation of skew lags and enabling the write and readout of data to be carried out at high speed.
I. Embodiment 9
Then, Embodiment 9 will be described. FIG. 29 is a circuit diagram showing a configurational example of bank selective circuit 1811 of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 9. In FIG. 29, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 16 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank selective circuit 1811 differs from the bank selective circuit 1261 shown in FIG. 16 in that an AND gate 1821 for making a logical product of an enable signal PN0 and a write signal W supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 125, an AND gate 1831 for making a logical product of an enable signal PN0 and a read signal R supplied from the controller 113 configuring the peripheral circuit block 125, a delay element 1841 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1821 for a predetermined time, a delay element 1851 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1831 for a predetermined time and an OR gate 1861 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the delay element 1841 and the delay element 1851 are anew provided in place of the delay element 461 and in that an output signal of the OR gate 1861 is supplied to the input terminal of the buffer 471. The delay amount of the delay element 1841 and that of the delay element 1851 are set to mutually different values corresponding to the difference of skew lags between the data write time and the data readout time to reduce a skew lag. Incidentally, other constituents and operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 9 are much the same as the constituents and operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 3 (See FIGS. 2, 15, 17 and 18) and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to this embodiment, a skew lag at the write time of data and a skew lag at the readout time of data are made separately reducible by the provision of delay elements 1841 and 1851 in the bank selective circuit 1811, thereby facilitating the design on the regulation of skew lags and enabling the write and readout of data to be carried out at high speed.
J. Embodiment 10
Then, Embodiment 10 will be described. FIG. 30 is a circuit diagram showing a configurational example of bank selective circuit 1911 of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 10. In FIG. 30, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 22 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank selective circuit 1911 differs from the bank selective circuit 1431 shown in FIG. 22 in that an AND gate 192, for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 1441 and a write signal W supplied from the controller 145 configuring the peripheral circuit block 141, an AND gate 1931 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 1441 and a read signal R supplied from the controller 145 configuring the peripheral circuit block 141, a delay element 1941 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1921 for a predetermined time, a delay element 1951 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 1931 for a predetermined time and an OR gate 1961 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the delay element 1941 and the delay element 1951 are anew provided in place of the delay element 461 and in that an output signal of the OR gate 1961 is supplied to the input terminal of the buffer 471. The delay amount of the delay element 1941 and that of the delay element 1951 are set to mutually different values corresponding to the difference of skew lags between the data write time and the data readout time to reduce a skew lag. Incidentally, other constituents and operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 10 are much the same as those of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 5 (See FIG. 2, 21 and 23) and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to this embodiment, a skew lag at the write time of data and a skew lag at the readout time of data are made separately reducible by the provision of delay elements 1941 and 1951 in the bank selective circuit 1911, thereby facilitating the design on the regulation of skew lags and enabling the write and readout of data to be carried out at high speed.
K. Embodiment 11
Then, Embodiment 11 will be described. FIG. 31 is a circuit diagram showing a configurational example of bank selective circuit 2011 of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 11. In FIG. 31, like symbols are attached to parts corresponding to individual parts of FIG. 25 and a description thereof will be omitted. The bank selective circuit 2011 differs from the bank selective circuit 1561 shown in FIG. 25 in that an AND gate 2021 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a write signal W supplied from the controller 157 configuring the peripheral circuit block 155, an AND gate 2031 for making a logical product of an output signal of the OR gate 451 and a read signal R supplied from the controller 157 configuring the peripheral circuit block 155, a delay element 2041 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 2021 for a predetermined time, a delay element 2051 for delaying an output signal of the AND gate 2031 for a predetermined time and an OR gate 2061 for making a logical sum of an output signal of the delay element 2041 and the delay element 2051 are anew provided in place of the delay element 461 and in that an output signal of the OR gate 2061 is supplied to the input terminal of the buffer 471. The delay amount of the delay element 2041 and that of the delay element 2051 are set to mutually different values corresponding to the difference of skew lags between the data write time and the data readout time to reduce a skew lag.
Incidentally, other constituents and operations of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 11 are much the same as those of a semiconductor storage unit according to Embodiment 6 (See FIGS. 2 and 24) and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
Like this, according to this embodiment, a skew lag at the write time of data and a skew lag at the readout time of data are made separately reducible by the provision of delay elements 2041 and 2051 in the bank selective circuit 2011, thereby facilitating the design on the regulation of skew lags and enabling the write and readout of data to be carried out at high speed.
Heretofore, embodiments of the present invention have been described in details by referring to the drawings, but the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments and changes and variations in design without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims are included in the present invention.
In these embodiments, for example, applications of the present invention to nonsynchronous semiconductor storage units were shown, but the present invention is not limited to them and may be applied to a synchronous semiconductor storage unit, needless to say.
Besides, in these embodiments, the chip layout is described to be the one shown in FIG. 2, but is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 32, for example, the chip layout may be represented as comprising four functional blocks 21, to 214 and two peripheral circuit blocks 22a and 22b.
Furthermore, in these embodiments, the bank blocks 23, and 232 were described to be related in the plane symmetry about a plane perpendicular to the sheet surface in the portion of the peripheral circuit block 241 in a single functional block 211 as shown in FIG. 2 (1) except for the word drivers 321 and 322 and the word drivers 323 and 334, but the present invention is not limited to this. In a single functional block 211, for example, two bank blocks of the same shape as that of the bank block 231 or the bank block 232 may be arranged on both sides of the peripheral circuit block 241. Also in the chip layout shown in FIG. 2 (2) and FIG. 32, all bank blocks may be identical or different in shape similarly. Still further, the arranging direction of bank blocks 23 and peripheral circuit blocks 24 may be horizontal, a direction turned for 90 degrees of FIG. 2 (2), not vertical as shown in FIG. 2 (2).
Besides, shown in these embodiment is a case where the banks 251 to 254 are respectively divided in two left-to-right, global I/O lines 261 to 264 are correspondingly disposed with I/O amplifiers 281 to 284 provided and precharge global I/O circuits 361 to 364 are respectively provided for individual global I/O lines 261 to 264, but the present invention is not limited to this and the number of divided banks 251 to 254, the number of accompanying global I/O lines 261 to 264, the number of I/O amplifiers 281 to 284, the number of their constituent write amplifiers and data amplifiers and the number of precharge global I/O lines 361 to 364 may be arbitrary. Similarly, the number of divided column decoder groups 351 to 354 and the number of their constituent column decoders may be arbitrary. Furthermore, the number of constituent memory cell arrays for one bank 25 may be also arbitrary. Besides, with respect to individual banks 251 to 254, no detailed description is found in FIGS. 1 and 2, but they may comprise subarrays or subword driver, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-305505.
Furthermore, examples of 3-level convergence of wiring lines are shown in Embodiments 1 to 3, an example of reducing the number of activated memory cells in a bank relative to Embodiment 2 is shown in Embodiment 4, examples of tests by use of test signals for Embodiments 3 and 1 are respectively in Embodiments 5 and 6 and examples of reducing a skew lag for Embodiment 1, Embodiments 2 and 4, Embodiment 3, Embodiment 5 and Embodiment 6 are respectively shown in Embodiments 7 to 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, an arrangement of reducing the number of memory cells in a bank, activated by use of address signals, according to Embodiment 4 may be applied to Embodiments 1 and 3 and an arrangement of tests by use of test signals according to Embodiment 5 and 6 may be applied to Embodiments 2 and 4.
Besides, in the description of operations for these embodiments, a description was made only of the write of data into the bank 251 and readout of data from the bank 252, the write of data into the bank 251 and readout of data from the bank 251 and the continuous read of data from the bank 251 and 252 as variations of operations, but the present invention is not limited to this. Namely, the present invention is also applicable to the readout of data from the bank 251 and write of data into the bank 252, the continuous write of data into the bank 251 and the bank 252 or inverted operation in the sequence of an access to the bank 252 and an access to the bank 251, a forced access to the latter on account of occurrence of an interruption during the access to the conventional or the like.
Incidentally, in case of occurrence of an interruption, the read/write of the remaining data from/into the access-interrupted bank is disabled.
Furthermore, in Embodiments 7 to 11, examples of read signals R and write signals W being independent with each other are shown, but the present invention is not limited to this and one signal may be the inverted of another and a write burst signal WBT outputted from a controller and its inverted signal may be employed instead,
According to one arrangement of the present invention, as described above, the number of wiring lines can be reduced. Thereby, the chip area of a semiconductor storage unit can be further reduced. Besides, according to another arrangement of the present invention, tests such as fault analysis can be made normally in a short time. Furthermore, according to yet another arrangement of the present invention, the number of activated memory cells in a bank can be reduced.
Still further, according to yet another arrangement of the present invention, a skew lag at the time of data write and a skew lag at the time of data readout are respectively reduced separately, the design on the regulation of skews is facilitated and simultaneously the collision of data on a data I/O bus can be prevented. Besides, in particular, the write and read of data during the switching period of control over two banks becomes executable at high speed. Furthermore, the importance is in that the connection to a local I/O line and to a global I/O line is switchable without damages to data.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristic thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 10-331793 (Filed on Nov. 20, 1998) including specification, claims, drawings and summary are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Hirobe, Atsunori, Nagata, Kyouichi
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| Nov 09 1999 | NAGATA, KYOUICHI | NEC Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 010407 | /0164 | |
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